Midwife Appointment - 37+2

It didn't occur to me as I arrived, but this was my very last appointment with the community midwife.

Once we was in through the door it proceeded rather briskly.

She made her usual offensive comments, normally about how pale I am but today was about how I didn't look so pale but it was probably a reflection of colour from my garishly bright top. She means the comments in good humour though so I take them as intended, or try to anyway. I did feel slightly prickly about having my clothing criticised because I'm more than aware that I dress more clown like since my proper clothes no longer fit and much preferred pretending no one would actually think the same.

Today was a disgusting blue leggings, fushia and white striped very generous and stretchy top and then an oversized red cardigan ensemble *sigh*.

Then she dipped my pee sample without even hinting at the results but I saw her writing NAD down which seems to mean its normal.

I'd noticed over her shoulder that the PC was displaying my previous blood results and there was lots of angry red exclamation marks. I asked what they were and she seemed slightly irritated at having to check through them and quickly remarked they were all just on the edge of being low but that's normal because my blood is diluted.

It was then up onto the bed and she did my blood pressure - normal, fundal height measurement - 38cm, doppler - 142bpm and then she proceeded to feel for engagement.

She asked me to breathe in deeply and then exhale and as I did so she poked around on my fatty bladder lump with a pinscher hand. She seemed to be trying to wiggle the head but her hand wasn't open enough to actually accommodate the whole head. It really really hurt, kind of like a fresh bruise but there was something bone bending about it.

The conclusion was that I'm doing very well, baby is doing a lot of growing and she thinks that she is engaged, by how much she didn't say.

She asked how the doula was doing (???) so I told her she was fine but didn't seem keen on the induction which prompted her to ask me how I felt about induction. I simply said that I'd feel better her not being overdue.

I was glad that she remembered that she'd promised me some sweeps and with my consultation being on the 7th Jan and induction hopefully on the 16th, she suggested a sweep on the 11th and on the 13th.

I suggested that perhaps we could squeeze a third sweep in but she was very adamant that it was a bad idea because I might become very sore and if two sweeps didn't work that no number of sweeps would work.

So, two sweeps it is.

She pointed out that she wouldn't be doing sweeps herself because she's on annual leave and it dawned on me that I probably wouldn't see her again. I asked if she'd do any postnatal appointments but it seemed it wasn't typical.

It was a bit weird. Not that I'm particularly attached to her, but I kind of expected that there would be some kind of follow through but nope. That's that.